Amicale Citroën Internationale (ACI) - bringing together the Citroen clubs of the world » Paris

Exhibition: Gabriel Orozco “La DS” in Basel, Paris, London

S. Joest ACI Communications — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:49:59 +0000

Gabriel Orozco is a Mexican artist, called “one of the most influential artists of this decade, and probably the next one too.” Many of Orozco’s works – which are often created specifically for the occasion of an exhibition – have become indisputable classics of 1990s art. Among the works on display is one of Gabriel Orozco’s most famous works, “La DS” (1993), a silver Citroën DS that has been sliced into three pieces lengthwise. The middle section was removed and the two remaining pieces were reassembled as a one seater. The result is an arrow-like car / sculpture, with a width 63.5 cm less than the original.

Gabriel Orozco was born 1962 in Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. He studied at Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (Mexico City), and at Circulo de Bellas Artes (Madrid). He has participated in the Venice Biennale in 1993, 2003, and 2005, the Whitney Biennial in 1995 and 1997, as well as Documenta X (1997) and Documenta XI (2002).

During these months, an exhibition will tour through Europe, organized by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in collaboration with Kunstmuseum Basel (18 April 2010 – 8 August 2010), Musée national d’art moderne – Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (10 September 2010 – 11 Januar 2011) and Tate Modern, London (19 Januar – 25 April 2011). This exhibition will provide the opportunity for many of these to be seen for the first time from the MoMA New York and combine them with rich selections of work from Orozco’s vast body of smaller objects, paintings, and works on paper.

Some video documentary around Gabriel Orozco can be found here: www.truveo.com

And more pictures over here: yatzer.com

We thank our Dutch ACI colleague Hans Kloos for sharing the info about Gabriel Orozco with us. Share your pictures from the exhibition with us, please!

Time to remember: 75 years ago, André Citroën died

S. Joest ACI Communications — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:32:15 +0000

Many people know about the famous founder and genius André Citroën. But only a few realized that within 2010 now 75 years have passed that the world lost this outstanding man!

Time to remember, time to reflect: On 25-26 September 2010, the French “Automobile Club André Citroen” (www.club-a-citroen.fr) will celebrate a weekend related to this anniversary.

Since it is also the 150th anniversary of the famous 15th arrondissement, the Saturday will start off with an exhibition at the mayor’s place, a corso and Concours d’Elegance at Javel resp. Parc Andre Citroen will be held. Sunday 26th September will go on with a corso tour across Paris to the tomb of Andre Citroen at “cimetière Montparnasse” and to honor Mr. Citroen’s life, followed by a visit of the Conservatoire at Aulnay-Sous-Bois.

Inscriptions for participation are possible via the forms attached, resp via. the club website, or by email to acac@club-a-citroen.fr.

There are limited seats for a VIP part of this event – more details in the inscription form – and any applications must be filed before 15th August 2010.

The forms (please note that there is still a typo, it is 25-26 not 26-27 September of course):

ACI AGM 2010: January 23, Conservatoire

S. Joest ACI Communications — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:51:37 +0000

Hello ACI-Delegates,

We hereby invite you to the 2010 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Amicale Citroen Internationale (ACI).
Please note that the venue and time has changed – we meet at a different location!

ACI AGM 2010

Date: Saturday, 23-Jan-2010
Time: 15:30h – 18:00h (estd.)
Place: Conservatoire Citroen, Aulnay Sous Bois (north of Paris)

Agenda AGM 2010:

1. Welcome and presentation of the agenda
2. Approval of minutes from 2009 AGM (Paris)
3. Reports from the President and Vice President and approval
4. Report from the Treasurer and approval
5. Report from Communications
6. Final Report 2009 EOTY: 75 Years Traction Avant
7. Upcoming “ACI Events Of The Year” (EOTY)
- 2010: Citroen Story Zolder / Belgium
- 2011: 2CV World Meeting in Salbris / France
- 2012: 15th ICCCR in Yorkshire, UK.
- 2013+: ?? -> Call For Proposals
8. All Delegates to deliver a 1-minute per-country report
9. More info from the Delegates
10. News report from Automobiles Citroën (Denis Huille)
11. Questions and answers
12. Presentation of ACI Board candidates and Election of the new ACI Board
13. Next meeting

Practical Information:

For those of you coming by car, there is some navigation documentation on our ACI website, in the “Downloads” section and also attached to this email as PDF:

ACI Newsletter 2007/04: Access To Conservatoire (PDF)

* Saturday, at 15:00h the Conservatoire will open for a coffee; the AGM will start sharp at 15:30h.

* For those of you attending the Retromobile exhibition in Paris earlier that Saturday, we have organized a bus transfer for Delegates from Retro to Conservatoire.
You should queue up at the ACI booth (our booth will be on the Citroen club booth) no later than 13:45h because a bus will leave at 2pm towards the Conservatoire.

* After the AGM has taken place, ca. after 6pm, there will be an opportunity to visit the freshly arranged display of cars in the Conservatoire.

* From 20:30h – 23:00h there will be a dinner in the Citroen Aulnay factory restaurant nearby for the attendees.

* After end of dinner, we organized a bus transfer back to Paris Porte De Versailles (i.e. Retromobile fairground) and maybe stop on one or two other stops in Paris if needed (we will sort that out during the day).

* For those of you presenting eg. event info via electronic media (eg. USB stick, DVD etc.) – we kindly ask you to arrive ca. 1hr earlier, i.e. at 14:30h so we can make sure all technicalities are solved beforehand and we don’t lose time on SW installation etc. during the AGM.
Alternatively, you can mail us your presentation no later than 13-Jan-2010 so we can embed it onto our computer.

* Please all be prepared to present your country and local ACI activities within 60 seconds, so we get to learn each other (If 2 Delegates of one country or region are present, please appoint 1 to present). What’s good, what bad, problems etc.

* We also constantly look for new candidates and projects for the “ACI Event Of The Year”. 2013 seems to be far away but for an EOTY organizer is is not, many things are to be prepared… Maybe you have already discussed with your local clubs about potential candidates?

Travel And Accomodation:

Please talk to your local Citroën affiliate about your trip to the Annual General Meeting.
The local affiliate should be able to assist the Amicale Citroën Internationale Delegates with travel arrangements or by refunding travel expenses.

Looking forward to seeing you in Aulnay (!)

On behalf of the ACI Board

///S. Joest,
Communications
Amicale Citroen Internationale (ACI)
www.amicale-citroen-internationale.org

PS: One more thing – as I know we are facing issues with reaching all Delegates by email (inbox full etc.) please contact your ACI country colleague and also contact the colleagues in neighbor countries to make sure all have received this invitation. (And it helps to keep our ACI network alive, its all about communication, right? Thank you!

France: 90 years old and not one wrinkle

S. Joest ACI Communications — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:18:39 +0000

This article on the 90 years of Citroën in France is reproduced here in English translation with the gracious permission of Marc Ouayoun, a well known French car collector. It first appeared on his blog.

Nothing is riskier than planning the celebration of an event: We all have in mind memories of an event that was well organized and long anticipated which in the end fell flat. Conversely an unexpected event can prove to be unforgettable because it’s spontaneous and genuine.

Certain glum souls will no doubt have asked themselves about the legitimacy of an anniversary celebrated by Citroën in 2009, the 90 years of a tumultuous history just like that of the 20th century which saw the birth of this brand. Others will not miss the opportunity to say: “Why not the Centennial like everyone else?

For my part, I am of the opinion that the best events are those where you have something to celebrate. And 2009 is certainly a great year for the Citroën brand. The double chevrons, borne aloft by a particularly clever publicity campaign with inspired flair, plus a huge communication effort and obvious quality, is flying on its own and henceforth is carried along by a following wind. Communication, high visibility, newsworthy events; the work of the teams seems to be in sync with the products, modern. fresh and logical.

But, in the end, isn’t this all a bit quick?

The evolution of the image of the brand is spectacular, even for me who has often wished for a renaissance of Citroën on this site. Indeed, the biggest challenge will be to commit to that over time, to create solid foundations which will last in an un-certain automotive world, at the dawn of huge upheaval. The task will be difficult but most assuredly exciting.

Back to the 90th anniversary celebrations. Started at Retromobile, presented in different media and conveyed through the distribution network, the celebration saw its high point this weekend with the parade of the 90th anniversary.

Having participated nearly a year ago in the initial thinking by a working group which combined the manufacturer, collectors and the Amicale Citroën Internation-ale, I couldn’t wait for the weekend of October 3. I have to say that I was not dis-appointed either as a collector / participant or as an observer of the double chev-rons. It was a magnificent day!

The rendezvous was set for 11:00 a.m. for the assembling of the cars at the Foun-tains of Trocadero: 90 models (in fact there were more than 100) for 90 years. The organization was virually perfect and the parking of the cars done to the near-est inch. The collection of the emblematic models of the brand were represented by one or several versions: From the Type A of 1919 to the XM; through the Rosa-lie, Traction Avant, 2CV and other DS’s. The link with the present line was done through the new C3 and DS3. As to the future, it was symbolized by 2 very dis-tinctive concept cars: la Révolte recently introduced in Frankfurt and the spec-tacular “GT by Citroën.

At 5:00 p.m. the temporary exhibit was open to the public and soon the area was filled with hundreds of onlookers who had come to admire the creativity of Citroën. Very rapidly each car was surrounded by a crowd. Many visitors evoked a memory, an anecdote associated with the DS, the 2CV or an Ami Six recalled; going on holidays; the sunday outing with Uncle Hubert; going back to school with Grandma; the call of the family doctor and other slices of life. Few brands can boast of such a presence in the collective memory.

At 7:30 the departure in a convoy behind the GT. Very quickly we were caught up in Paris traffic jams and dumbfounded bystanders witnessed some unlikely scenes. A Citroën Autocar type U23 from 1947 going along flat out in a bus lane; a ZX Rallye Raid behind the C4 of Sebastien Loeb; a Rosalie stopped, hood up near the Bastille or another long line of DS’s yellow headlights glowing waiting for the green light beside the Samaritaine.

Once at the Place de la Bastille, we turned around and headed in a scattered fash-ion back to the Champs-Elyseés to wind up this unforgettable day at C42, showcase of the brand on the most beautiful avenue in the world. Even there, the sight of all our old cars parked together at the Pierre Charron Facility reminded me of the uniqueness of this rolling heritage flanked by the double chevrons.

After years of indifference, even rejection of the past, at times a burden, the brand is, from hereon in, not afraid to face its past and to find in it a source of in-spiration: a Citroën brand freed from inhibitions and determined to write a new chapter in its already rich history. Let’s wish it all success. The rendezvous is set for the 100 years in 2019!

Find some photos from that event on the blogsite at http://citropersoboulot.typepad.com/.

120 Years Eiffeltower, 90 Years Citroen: Oct 22 celebration

S. Joest ACI Communications — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:36:47 +0000

To celebrate 90 years of Citroën and 120 years of the world famous Eiffel Tower, the two are joining forces again, after 75 years, in a stunning display of ‘Créative Technologie’ on Oct 22nd, 2009.

Every night for three months from 22nd October, a special 12-minute light show will take place on the Eiffel Tower – one minute for each decade the ‘Iron Lady’ has stood proudly in the heart of Paris.

At 8.00pm on 22nd October – to mark the first of these displays – Citroën will be streaming live footage of the event from webcams mounted in 10 new Citroën C3’s, which will be positioned at key vantage points around the tower itself.

The footage will be broadcast at http://www.toureiffel.citroen.com/, and visitors to the site will be able to change viewpoints to take in the display from all angles. As well as taking advantage of the new C3’s sensational ‘Zenith’ windscreen, the webcam pictures will be displayed in vertical 9:16 format – a revolution for internet video.

The Zenith windscreen on the new C3 – Citroën’s latest model – provides a driving experience like no other, with a huge glass screen that soars above the heads of front occupants offering unprecedented levels of visibility – perfect for admiring the full height of the Eiffel Tower and the new light show in all its glory.

Citroën and the Eiffel Tower enjoyed a historic partnership for almost ten years between 1925 & 1934, when André Citroën had the Company’s name displayed in lights on the iconic structure. A total of 250,000 light bulbs and 600 kilometres of electric flex were used to make the 30 metre high letters. The spectacle was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest advertising sign.. The illuminations were so bright that Charles Lindbergh used the tower as beacon when coming into land after his solo flight across the Atlantic.

GSA Meeting during Retromobile 2009

S. Joest ACI Communications — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:59:56 +0000

Hello all, we would like to warm up your hearts for the GS + GS/A club activities:

There is a meeting to happen at Retromobile (Paris) on Valentines Day (Feb 14th), for the friends of Citroen GS/A, the Birotor and its derivatives.

Read more in the invitation (zip file with several translations) here.

2005 “Event of the Year” DVD promo

S. Joest ACI Communications — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:08:44 +0000

The organizers of the 2005 Event Of The Year (50 Years of the DS) have approached the ACI to inform about the availability of a new DVD set about this event.

A special discount is provided to the first 200 incoming orders – the price is 29 Euro instead of 49 Euro.

To be eligible to receive this discount, a certain procedure should be followed during the order process.

Here is the message:

“In 2005, the DS celebrated its 50th birthday. For this occasion, we edited a two DVD set. We are launching a new “gold “edition » with 3 DVDs digitally re-mastered in a gift box!

Relive as many times as you like a great event that brought together over 1600 of these legendary cars in Paris! Rediscover over 700DS starting from the first 1955ID to the last DS23. Unique cars from all over the world!

Also included is the exhibition at La Villette explaining the mechanics of the car, the “Concours d’Elégance”, and many other extras!

The whole history of the Ds in this package of 3 dvds!

Special offer 29Euro (excluding shipping) for the first 200 orders only. 49Euro for the next ones.

To reserve your copy, please send an email to 1001souvenirs@gmail.com

Invitation to Annual General Meeting 2008, Paris

S. Joest ACI Communications — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:19:31 +0000

All Amicale Citroën Internationale Delegates (distribution list attached) are hereby invited to attend the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Amicale Citroën Internationale

2008 Annual General Meeting
Date: February 9, 2008
Time: 11:00h – 14:00h
Venue: exact location t.b.d., will be around Hall 4 of Parc des Expositions, Paris (near Retromobile fairground)

More details to be announced soon. Agenda and additional details can be found within the ACI Documents section.